1
as in to frown
to take on a gloomy or forbidding look
his face slowly darkened as we told him the sad news
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
years of accumulated grime have darkened the painting until it can barely be seen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
the scandal darkened his otherwise sterling reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of darken
Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 goes well beyond just the darkening reality in America.
—
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 May 2025
Her family of eight piled in – freshly dressed and coiffed, from her 9-month-old grandson to her 79-year-old father – for a hair-rising ride through traffic back to the darkening square.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 12 May 2025
Let this papacy be a light in darkening times and, astonishingly, a rare moment to be proud to be an American.
—Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025
If the test line matched or darkened beyond the control line, one was said to be fertile.
—Anonymous, Vogue, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 17 May 2025
Her family of eight piled in – freshly dressed and coiffed, from her 9-month-old grandson to her 79-year-old father – for a hair-rising ride through traffic back to the darkening square.
—Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 12 May 2025
Let this papacy be a light in darkening times and, astonishingly, a rare moment to be proud to be an American.
—Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2025
If the test line matched or darkened beyond the control line, one was said to be fertile.
—Anonymous, Vogue, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for darken
Recent Examples of Synonyms for darken
Verb
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Adapt To The Culture In some workplace cultures, saying no outright may be frowned upon.—
Diana Lowe,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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Two, those hockey gods MacFarland referred to tend to frown on trading away quality for quantity.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
7 May 2025
Verb
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Despite the metaverse hype having faded, Infinite Reality shows that investor belief in immersive environments remains, especially when linked to creator infrastructure or enterprise applications. 4.—
Elena Volotovskaya,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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When McBride isn’t answering the director’s questions and when Joynt is able to fade into the background, the documentary, which asserts little visual style other than fly-on-the-wall presence, is able to witness moments that showcase the unguarded McBride.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
9 June 2025
Verb
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The raw data obscures just how substantial and prolonged the downfall of the little guy in the NBA has been.—
Lev Akabas,
Sportico.com,
6 June 2025
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Complicating matters further are sophisticated networks of onshore and offshore actors who facilitate illicit operations by obscuring catch data, obfuscating labor abuses, and lobbying to maintain lax regulations, according to C4ADS.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Graffiti marred the exterior of City Hall, an Art Deco landmark built in 1928.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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Signed in 2023 from Fenerbahce in his homeland, Guler’s debut season was marred by injuries.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
8 June 2025
Verb
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In the fifth inning, the Royals were staring at another blowout loss.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2025
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Screenshots from a June 10 TikTok video of a black Lab puppy staring at his owner while at the store.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Four months later, the hills around his home are still blackened and toxic.—
Josh Rottenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
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Some of the jewel beetle wings had their original green-yellow-red hues while others had blackened.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, running through June 15, has centered music-heavy programming with premieres from artists including Billy Joel, Miley Cyrus, Turnstile and Depeche Mode — further blurring the line between musicians’ stagewear and red carpet fashion.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
7 June 2025
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Airstream In place of common overhead cabinetry, Airstream further blurs the delineation between indoors and out with long, narrow upper windows above the primary window line.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Darken.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/darken. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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